Mail box



W. C. LUSS Jan. 19, 1937.

MAIL BOX Filed Aug. 12, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Wizzfam camz La,

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 W. C. 'LUSS A MAIL BOX Filed Aug. 12, 1935 INVEN'T'ORvATTORNEY Jan. 19, '1937.

ljatentecv aian. i9, 1937 IWAH.. BOX

William Cari Luss, Hamburg, N. Y.

Application August 12, 1935, Serial No. 35,866

l Claim.

The invention relates to a mail box and more especially to ruraldelivery mail boxes for letters and packages.

The primary object of the invention is the provision of a mail box ofthis character, wherein the front door is swingingly supported andcarries a gate for a slot therein through which is passed mail matterssuch letters or the like for' deposit within the box while the doorYwhen opened will allow packages or the like to be placed within thebox, the gate for the slot being constructed for the reception of paperand coin money which is procurable to a collector of mail, the gatebeing of novel construction.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a box of thischaracter, wherein the construction thereof is novel in form so thatletters or the like and money can be carried at the front and upon thefront door of the box to have the same readily accessible to a collectorof mails while the box will form a depository for letters and packagesfor either incoming or outgoing mail matter, the box being adapted forrural mail service.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a box of thischaracter, which is simple in construction, reliable and efcient in itsoperation, neat in appearance, adapted for various kinds lof incomingand outgoing mail matter, strong, durable and inexpensive tomanufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in thefeatures of construction, combination and arrangement of parts as willbe hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, which disclose the preferred embodiment of the invention andpointed out in the claim hereunto appended In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary perspective View o1D a mail box constructed inaccordance with the invention showing by full lines the front door inopen position and by dotted lines said door closed.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sectional view throughthe box the latter being on an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 2 looking in thedirection of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical longitudinal sectional View showing aslight modification.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral views in the drawings.

Referring to the drawings in` detail, the box constituting the presentinvention comprises a body, a portion thereof being indicated at A,

closed at its bottom, sides, top and one end while the opposite end isopened and is adapted to be closed by a front door B. The body and thedoor are preferably made from` sheet metal and the top of said body maybek of any desirable 5` shape, in this instance it being of arcuateform.

The door B is formed with a marginal rim lil Ywhich extends along thesides and uppermost or outermost edge thereof while the lowermost orinnermost edge with relation to the body A 10 is devoid of la rim. Thisdoor B has provided therein a slot il through which is placed mailmatter such as letters or the like for deposit within the body A of thebox.

Fixed to the inner face of the door are hinges 15 I2 the pintle I3therefor being fitted in pintle sleeves It carried at the lowermost edgeof the open front end of the body A, the hinges I2 being removed fromthe innermost or lowermost edge of the door B so that this innermost orlow- 20 ermost edge of the door when swung to open, position willunderlie the bottom of the body A at its open front and thus the doorwill be held in a substantially horizontal position to constitute a restor shelf when opened. The rim I0 25 has struck therefrom frictionallatching nibs I5 which engage in seats or notches it provided in thesides of the body A so that the said door B can be latched in the fullopen position thereof as is clearly shown in Figure 1 of the drawings.30 The door B at its uppermost portion carries a spring snap latch Itcooperating with a spring snap keeper I8 secured to the top of the bodyA, the latch and the keeper being formed with spring openings I9 whichmatch with each other on the 35 closing of the door to accommodate asuitable lock for the fastening of the door or the securing thereof inits closed position.

On the pintle I3 for the hinges I2 is a coiled tensioning spring 2twhich has fixed connections 40 at 2i and 22 with the door B and bottomof the body A, respectively. This spring functions to swing the doorautomatically to closing position on unlatching the door by freeing thenibs I5 from the seats I6. When the door is closed the 45 rim I!)telescopes over the body A to render the joint between said door andbody Weatherproof.

Carried at the inner face of the door B is a pair of spring clips 23 toconstitute holders for letter contained envelopes, one being indicated50 at 2l! therein.

Closing the slot II is a gate or flap including the angularly bentportions 25 and 26, respectively, the latter having a marginal rim 2l toprovide a money tray 28 at one face thereof while 55 the portion 25 atthe inner face thereof is constructed with a change pocket 29. Thisportion 25 is adapted to close the slot Il and the gate or iiap issupported upon a hinge pintle or pivot 3S having its ends journaled inbearings 3l tted to the inner face of the door B. The tray 28 hastherein a weight 32 which functions to urge the flange 33 of the portion25 against the inner face f the door B so that the flap or gate will bein closing position with respect to the slot Il. The' portion 25 whenmoved to open position swings through the slot Il inwardly of the door Bso that mail matter 34 can be inserted through the slot Il to bedeposited within the body A of the box. The tray 28 is equipped with apaper money clip 35 for the clamping of paper money 36 therein. Thistray on the opening of the door B to the horizontal position shown inFigure 1 of the drawings will rest upon the said door so that the money36 Will be readily accessible for removal from the clip 35 and the coinsor change Within the pocket 29 will automatically slide therefrom intothe tray 28 as will be apparent from Figure 1 of said drawings. When thedoor is closed the gate or flap automatically adjusts itself so that theportion 25 will operate to close the slot Il in said door. It isimpossible to gain access to the interior of the box through the slot Il except for the deposit of mail matter 34, through the slot Il into thebox. The door B is swung to open position when packages or parcel postmail matter is to be recovered from the body of the box or depositedtherein.

In Figure 4 of the drawings there is shown a slight modification,wherein the coiled spring 31 is substituted for the spring 20 and thisspring is connected with eye rivets 38 fixed to the door and bottom ofthe body, respectively, of the box.

What is claimed is:

A mail box of the kind described comprising aV box like body permanentlyclosed at its bottom, sides, top and one end and having an open endopposite to the latter, a door closing the open end and having a iiangeextended along the side and top of the body, said door being providedwith a transversely disposed slot for accommodating mailing matter fordeposit within the body, a gate pivoted to the inner side of the door atthe slot and having angularly bent portions, one of said portions beingprovided with a marginal rim to provide a money tray, the other of saidportions being formed with a change pocket and this latter portionnormally closing the slot, the money tray and change pocket beingarranged for inaccessibility through the slot, a flange on the gate atthe change pocket and engageable with the door to limit the outwardswinging of said gate through the slot and a Weight iitted in the moneytray for normally holding the flange on the change pocket of said gatecontacting with the door for the closing of the slot by said gate.

WILLIAM CARL LUSS.

